InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Afraid to Love ❯ The Trip ( Chapter 16 )

Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi.

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16: The Trip

Kagome flashed Rin a bright smile before strapping her cloth-sack on the two-headed dragon demon, Ah and Un. The demon grunted as Kagome and Rin climbed upon it to join Jaken. Kagome shifted on Ah and Un before situating herself behind Rin as Jaken muttered about `having to ride with filthy humans'. Of course, it was impolite to give no reply to the imp. Kagome reached for the Staff of Heads, prepared to teach Jaken a lesson, when Sesshomaru flew off in the direction of Inuyasha's Forest. Ah and Un flew after its master. Kagome was startled by the sudden flight and nearly fell off and landed on the ground, but she grabbed Ah and Un's reins to stable herself.

Kaede untied her sack of healing herbs as she unwrapped Sango's bandages that were red with blood. Sango hissed as Kaede dabbed the area surrounding the wound with a wet cloth. Kaede set down the cloth at Sango's hiss and made a painkiller for Sango to drink. Sango downed the painkiller and after a while, her entire body felt numb, so she felt no pain as Kaede continued cleaning off the blood and rewrapping her wounds with new bandages.

Kagome pulled the sleeping Rin against her chest, afraid that the girl would fall off. Sesshomaru turned around and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. `She acts as Rin's own mother would.' Sesshomaru slowed down until he was next to Kagome and Rin. He needed to ask her the one question that he had been itching to ask all day. "Kagome…" The miko turned around and looked him in the eye. "Why did you lie to Rin about your shoulder?" Kagome's eyes widened. "I'm s-sorry, Lord Sesshomaru, I j-just…" "I do not blame you. I am just wondering why you did not just tell her that I hurt you." "You may not know it, Lord Sesshomaru, but Rin sees you as a father-figure and she sees me as a friend. If she found out that you had hurt me…"

"Thank you, Kagome." he murmured before flying past them and once again leading Ah and Un. Jaken glanced at Kagome from the corner of his eye. `This human wench is kind to my master and she does not ruin his image to the brat. Perhaps, just perhaps, humans are underestimated.' Jaken had worked for Sesshomaru ever since his family had been murdered by humans who thought they were evil youkai. He had gone to Sesshomaru, for he had no where else and no one else to go to. Sesshomaru had taken him in, but he had been miserable ever since the human came. Now, though, he had a different insight on humans. This wench, she seemed to be kinder than the humans that had killed his parents and his younger brother.

Before the group knew it, it was nightfall. Sesshomaru and Ah and Un lowered themselves to the solid ground to make camp. Rin, who had been awake for a few hours, jumped off of the dragon and ran straight to the flowers. Jaken ran after her waving the Staff of Heads in fear that his master would punish him if he did not keep a close watch on the ningen. Kagome slid off of Ah and Un and felt her legs wobbling before she landed on the ground in a heap. "Not used to flying?" Sesshomaru asked, amusement dancing in his eyes although he kept his monotone voice. Kagome shook her head as she reached for Sesshomaru's extended arm and he helped her up. Kagome felt extremely dizzy as she plopped down next to Rin, whom was currently chatting away about her favorite flowers.

Kagome managed a weak smile as Rin handed her a fistful of flowers. Everything around her seemed to be spinning and everything seemed to be a blur. She could feel a terrible headache coming on. `Hm…so this is why mother never let me get on planes.' she thought. She stood with her flowers and went to Sesshomaru. "Lord Sesshomaru, I think I am getting a headache from the flight." "You think? You either have one or you don't." he said. Kagome growled and said "I have a headache." Sesshomaru held back his chuckle at hearing Kagome growl. For some strange reason, he found it quite amusing to see her angry. "You should take a walk and adjust to walking again. I am sure that it should be hard for you to walk after flying for such a long period of time." Kagome nodded and set out into the forest with a change of clothes, intent on clearing her headache and getting her well-deserved bath.

Walking through the trees reminded her of Inuyasha, the hanyou that had changed her entire life, the hanyou that she had fallen in love with, the hanyou that had broken her heart, and the hanyou that had betrayed her and her friends. Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought of what Inuyasha had done. She leaned against a tree and crossed her arms in front of her. `I swear, Inuyasha, if you hurt Sango, Miroku, Kaede, or Shippo, I will make you pay and I will `Sit' you until you find yourself in hell with Kikyo.' Sure, she was forgiving, but she had been betrayed and her friends were in danger. Did that amount to nothing?

She sighed and continued down the path until she found herself at a hot spring. She untied her obi and her kimono pooled at her feet. After removing everything else, she tested the water temperature with her feet before wading in. `What I wouldn't give for a hot bath at home with shampoo, conditioner, soap…' All of those insignificant things that she used to take for granted every day were now gone. Even her watch, it was still sitting in Sesshomaru's study. Kagome pouted at the thought of only being able to rinse herself and never feeling thoroughly clean. Still, she raked her fingers through her hair, since that was all she could do, and she rubbed the dirt, grime, and sweat from her body. After her attempt to cleanse herself, she leaned against a boulder to allow the sun to dry her body off.

Kagome closed her eyes and felt as if she were about to fall asleep when she heard the soft snap of a twig. Her eyes flew open and she saw a demon before her. Being human, she had no idea what kind of demon it was, but apparently it was a male. The demon's eyes were clouded with lust as it flicked its wrist and vines wound around Kagome's arms and held her up in front of him. The demon reached inside its haori and Kagome's eyes widened. `No…he isn't…' Kagome concentrated her miko powers…but nothing happened. "Ah!!! Help!!" Kagome screamed. The demon clasped a clawed hand over her mouth when a silver blur flew by and the vines around Kagome's arms loosened until she landed on the boulder.

Sesshomaru plunged his sword into the forest demon's gut and left the still-breathing youkai impaled on his sword. "What did you think you were doing?" the angry lord hissed. "I was about to mate that human. Why do you care?" Sesshomaru twisted the sword in the demon's gut until it was no longer alive. "I care…because she is mine."

Kagome looked around and gave a sigh of relief. "I'm saved…" she whispered as she hurriedly tied her obi and ran back to the camp. Jaken was making stew and Rin was desperately trying to put flowers on him before he ripped them all off. Sesshomaru was, from what Rin said, somewhere in the forest. Kagome sat next to Rin for a while and chatted with her so that Jaken could rest. Before she knew it, Sesshomaru walked into the camp with a smirk on his face. "Well, you seem to have a tendency of getting hurt." Kagome blushed. "Th-that was you, Lord Sesshomaru?" Sesshomaru nodded and sat down next to Rin. "Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru." `My pleasure…' Sesshomaru thought.

Sango smoothed out the ruffled fur on Kirara's fully-healed back. She, herself, was almost fully healed also, thanks to Kaede's medicinal knowledge. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a loud knock on the door of Kaede's hut. Sighing, she let Kirara jump out of her lap and stood up to open the door. Sango gasped. "Kagome!" she squealed, as she threw her arms around the miko. When she finally released her from her suffocating hold, she noticed the taiyoukai lord behind her. "Kagome, watch out! Sesshomaru! What do you want?" Sango yelled, as she pulled Kagome behind her. Sesshomaru raised a brow. Kagome patted Sango on the back. "Sango! I've missed you… Sesshomaru brought me here. I work for him now. So, where are Miroku, Shippo, and Kaede? Oh, why are you hurt?" Kagome asked worriedly.

Sango gulped, not knowing what to say or how to say it. She looked up at Sesshomaru, hoping for an interruption, but all she saw was a taiyoukai with a little girl attached to his right leg and that little toad-looking thing behind him. Sango sat down and motioned for Kagome to do the same. Kagome took a seat next to Sango on the futon. "Kaede is helping out in the village. Kagome, after you left, Inuyasha tried to take the jewel. We ran away, but he found us and began to attack us for the jewel. Koga came with his pack to help us, but… Kagome, Miroku, Shippo, Koga, and another wolf demon…died helping us, but Inuyasha got the jewel anyways…" Kagome was speechless as she stared at the taijya. She didn't want to believe it… She couldn't believe it… It simply wasn't true…right?

Sango furrowed her brow in worry when Kagome gave no reaction, but stared dumbly at her. A slow tear crept out of the corner of her eye before sliding down her cheeks and darkening the tan futon. "They…they died?" Sango nodded sadly as she comforted the crying Kagome. She had an urge to cry, also, but her pain would only increase Kagome's. She could not bear to see her closest friend in pain. Kagome threw her arms around Sango's shoulder and held on to her as if she were her lifeline. `It must be worse for her than it is for me… I know she was in love with Miroku. Shippo, Koga, Miroku, and another wolf demon are gone. Why? Inuyasha…' Kagome dried her eyes as best as she could, trying to hold back tears. True, she would forever grieve over the deaths, but she should be glad that Sango was alive. She pulled away from Sango and forced a smile. "At least you're alive, Sango…" Sango shook her head angrily, her eyes brimmed with tears.

"No, Kagome. Miroku risked his life to save mine and before he died…I promised him to take care of Shippo and the jewel. Shippo is dead now, Kagome. The jewel is gone. I…I would be better off dead." Kagome frowned and grabbed Sango's wrists lightly. "Sango, never say that. It's not your fault. Think about it, if you had died…" Thoughts of Sesshomaru ran through Kagome's mind, but she shook them off. `He doesn't love me… He can only stand Rin.' "If you had died, I would have no one left. If you had died and Miroku had lived, Miroku would not be able to go on."

Sesshomaru diverted his attention from Rin when he heard Kagome's words. If one looked closely, they would see the flickers of emotion passing through his eyes. His first thoughts were `Why would Kagome think that she would have no one left? I am here for her…or does she not trust me? Am I only a youkai lord to her?' Confused again by his own feelings, he had no idea what to do. `I hate humans. I promised myself that I wouldn't love humans. Yet, if I hated humans, Rin would not be here. No, she is Inuyasha's.' He knew, though, what Inuyasha had done and he knew that Inuyasha held no feelings toward his Kagome whatsoever. His Kagome?